Venezuela may be racked by unrest, but UNC MP Ganga Singh and National Security Minister Stuart Young still found a way to joke about it in Parliament yesterday.
Singh prodded Young: "I hear you have the road march, is Maduro, Maduro, Maduro!"
"Dat better than ‘Trump, Trump, Trump!" Young grinned back.
Minutes later, there were outright guffaws by Young, engrossed in talk with his boss Prime Minister Keith Rowley and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi. They were all still laughing during later debate, but at Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's motion against Rowley’s recent "Mind Your Business" addresses.
But no one was laughing much later when temperatures rose on the issues including Venezuela, now presenting extended challenges for Government—with the US—following its non-intervention policy on the crisis next door involving President Nicolas Maduro and self-declared President National Assembly head Juan Guaido.
Not the least of those challenges is that it's required a frontline role for Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses whose record has been spotty at best. Indeed, Cabinet chose Young to present on the Venezuela issue at Thursday's post-Cabinet media briefing and Rowley rose to reply yesterday when the Opposition fielded questions to Moses on T&T’s response to the US calls to reject Maduro.
Government's leading regional role in the issue was demonstrated by Thursday's lengthy Caricom emergency meeting on Venezuela which echoed T&T's non-interventionist stance, underscoring deferral towards UN assistance for dialogue rather than dangerous solutions. But the administration is hitting rough water on the issue.
The tightrope T&T's treading on the high-stakes issue, has concretised its move for statesmanship status, rather than seeking sides. But it has now opened concerns from the US on T&T's position, eliciting a sharp backhand from Rowley last night.
But there are other factors Government has to consider. Historical non-intervention policy on neighbours' "business". Dragon Field gas project in the balance soon after losing Sandals.
A small country amid global giants, each pushing to add Venezuela to respective geopolitical trump cards. (Extent of the push may depend on how badly the US, for instance, needs to shore up domestic political stocks and wants extreme "heavy lifting" in its backyard with a mainland state—even with Latin countries backing Guaido.)
Likelihood of Venezuelans flooding refugee-challenged T&T (further) whether Juan or the other prevails.
Plus the possibility of expanded domestic political challenges for Government if it takes an extreme stance.
Thursday’s Palo Seco oil belt "Conversations with the Prime Minister"—which was minus PM—revealed that despite the southern peninsula’s closeness to Venezuela, attendees were more concerned about the loss of Petrotrin than problems across the Gulf.
Government sources said despite support for the Dragon Field plan, there'd been consideration early in the term about Maduro's issues and T&T's closeness—literally and figuratively—to Venezuela if major problems occurred. Likely hence, Rowley's bid to discuss contingencies with Caricom leaders since last year. How his issue with the US plays out though, remains ahead.
Persad-Bissessar's remarks on Venezuela made political hay of the issue for her party, heading to UNC Assembly tomorrow.
The political elephant in the room there—if approved—will be the unity motion by her most senior (but backbenched) MP, Singh.
For all Singh’s desk-thumping support of her address yesterday, the issue may be the first of the leadership tests —an internal one—she faces along the election road.
The debate will determine if the election foundation the Assembly is being held to cement, might (ironically) suffer any cracks from Singh's call.
After Persad-Bissessar rejected Singh's initial unity call, his bid to take it 'Assemblywards''softened her position.
Whatever speakers' views—or that of their proxies—those for and against the call understand respective implications for UNC's election chances.
Depending on how managed the return of some former members might add more political life to party and leader. Or mitigate against Persad-Bissessar's leadership ahead. Defeat of the motion may be perceived as halting UNC's evolution and could deepen division—improving marginal seat chances for Mickela Panday's expected party.
Whatever transpires, the fallout from UNC "unity" and repercussions for Government from Venezuelan disunity—especially with the US—are not going to be limited to being this weekend's news alone.